Driving after TIA

[RubySlippers77]

My BIL had a mini stroke a fortnight ago and was told not to drive for a month. He's still undergoing various tests to find out exactly what happened but I know has driven his car at least once since then. DP has gone mad at MIL for helping him to do this but what else can we do?! I know you can report drivers who you think are medically unfit to drive to the DVLA, but do they actually do anything?

Presumably if anything was to happen he wouldn't be insured either... DP said this to MIL and she said "oh we'll change insurers and declare it to them" - but if he's driving against medical advice then surely it invalidates any cover?!

If the doctor said he was not medically fit to drive they he/she should have informed the DVLA and your BIL is required by law to hand his licence back to the DVLA. If the doctor has merely advised him not to drive, e.g. for his own health, that is another matter entirely.

If you believe he is medically unfit to drive you should report it to the police or the DVLA. They can investigate.

The insurance position depends on whether he is driving illegally and whether his medical condition is a factor in any accident.

And if anything happens, he could kill someone. DP needs to tell him he needs to stop driving or he'll report him to the police. How would he feel if he crashed into a car with a family in it?

As far as I know he's been told that he shouldn't drive for a month whilst they investigate what happened to him - DP & I certainly didn't know that he was planning to drive again within this time, MIL has been chauffeuring him around! The driving ban might be extended after that depending on what the doctors find, but it was a month at least.

He has been told in no uncertain terms that he will be reported if he does it again, this time we didn't know till after the event so there wasn't much we could do. DP has also told MIL that it's completely unacceptable for her to help him (she gave him a lift to collect his car!) - she said "oh but it wasn't busy, we did it at midday so there weren't many people around" - like that makes it ok!! And three of the people that were around were me and her grandchildren, my DC are only small so we are usually out and about in the daytime!

Thank you for both your help, I'm still absolutely fuming at BIL and MIL, I think we will be involving the DVLA at some point if they don't get the message

I'd be fuming too. I work in the emergency services and I see too much what peoples decisions do to other people. People don't think anymore of what their actions do to other people, it's all about what's best for them.
I'm glad you and DH are on the case!!

We certainly are londongirl. I am fuming at BIL for doing it (although he is a lazy selfish git anyway, no surprises that he's been thoughtless this time too!) and MIL for enabling him to do it. She trotted out a few excuses but there is really no excuse for him doing it.

Haven't heard the final results of all his tests yet - he has more next week - but if he needs to declare it to the DVLA and doesn't then I'll have no hesitation in doing it myself!

Fil had one & no, not safe to drive as might have another attack. He took the bus for a month, was fine to drive but didn't as had been told not to. Definitely wouldn't be insured.

My DH had a TIA last year. The doctor told him she is legally obliged to notify the DVLA who would suspend his licence for a month. If your BIL is driving he could be charged for driving without a licence and also driving without insurance (which in itself carries a hefty fine and 6 points). He is being very selfish and stupid if he thinks the rules don't apply to him. Ask him what would happen if he goes on to have a stroke or worse behind the wheel and kills himself or someone else.

40 - he just wouldn't care, he is a very selfish and thoughtless man!

I'm still fuming at MIL too for enabling him to drive in the first place, but when I've calmed down a bit I'll tell them that the hospital will have notified the DVLA, and wouldn't they be better off owning up to it first?! I bet they still won't tell the DVLA but then at least they won't realise it was me that reported him

My husband had a TIA a couple of months back. He was no supposed to drive for 4 weeks. However the consultant said he did not have to tell DVLA. After 2 and a bit weeks he has a letter from the consultant that he was deemed fit to drive as his various tests scans and mri were back and fine.

That's interesting Allthebest, I thought it was a month of no driving regardless of findings, if the original diagnosis was a TIA!

However in BIL's case the tests are still ongoing and I bet his consultant hasn't told him not to tell the DVLA, as both him & MIL were very shifty on the subject - ie - we should tell them, but are we actually going to...?

An update on this, in case it's useful for anyone: I did inform the DVLA about BIL's TIA as he was still driving his HGV, and I knew he wouldn't tell them about it. His version of the story is that they suspended his licence (not sure if just the HGV part or all of it), but his GP says he is fine to drive, and he has sent that info on to the DVLA. We await further developments!

A fucking HGV? The damage he could cause driving one of those things.

Good for you for reporting.

I know Thomas, it drives me insane that he thinks he is 'above the law' for some reason, and that MIL enables him. The family arguments this has caused...!